Islanders Gameday News: Rock with some pizzazz, it will last. Why you ask?

At noon today, the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum is expected to separate from its foundation, achieve liftoff, break through the Earth's atmosphere and reach orbit thanks to propulsion created by the sheer amount of kinetic energy of 16,000 screaming fans inside its core. All while a professional hockey game is being played within it.

Or something like that. Anything else will be considered a failure.

FIG Picks: First Islanders Goal picks go here.

Islanders links (or, All About Dat Base)

• The Islanders are counting on the Coliseum's volume to help keep the Capitals off their game: [Newsday | NY Times | NY Post | NHL.com ]
• The Caps aren't afraid of the big bad Coliseum. [WaPo]
• Arthur Staple's notebook includes bits on Johnny Boychuk, Thomas Hickey and a sorta update on Mikhail Grabovski.
• Cappy expects a comeback. [NY Post]
• By the time you read this, another Islanders stick will be broken. [Newsday]
• Griffin Reinhart is with the big club and soaking it all in. [NHL.com]
• Honk! Honk! Honk-honk-honk! [Newsday]
• The Coliseum has always been loud. This isn't just a talking point. [Herrmann]
• The Maven says we should be soaking in the Coliseum's final days, too. So listen to him. [Daily Freeman]
• An NPR video on the "Wonderful Dump."
• Regardless of the crowd, the Islanders defense needs to tighten up. [Daily News]
• That baby at the Easter Epic is all grown up and writing for the Times.
• This Islander fan has got more rhymes than Jamaica's got mangos. [LHH]

Sound Tigers finale

• Bridgeport plays its final game of the season today against Hartford. Last night, Scott Mayfield scored his first goal in over a year in a win over Syracuse. The Sound Tigers lost Friday to the Wolf Pack but there were bright spots.
• Here's a final plug for our conversation with CT Post writer Michael Fornabaio about how the season went down and what to look for next season.

Other stuff

• If you needed more evidence that God has a sense of humor, the Edmonton Oilers have once again won a draft lottery. They'll get the chance to draft Connor McDavid in June so that he can join their other first overall picks in watching pucks sail by their helpless defense and behind their overmatched goalies. [Copper n' Blue | Insta-comedy from Hockey Wilderness]
• That melee at the end of the Canucks-Flames Game 2 resulted in a huge fine for Calgary coach Bob Hartley. [M&G]
• The Kings issues go beyond a simple image problem. [LA Times]
• Not Hockey, Still Nassau: Rick Barry remembers the Coliseum. [Newsday]